Based on Mark’s interview, I had a thought that this scene:
Is probably the morning after this scene:
Which is probably the scene in which John says “It’s the longest night of my life.”
“What made you like this?” has always been a confusing line because we don’t know what “this” is referring to. What made you like what? “This” could be “machine-like”: “What made you so cold?” Could be something else. It could be what Sherlock talks about in the trailer:
SHERLOCK: Every great cause has martyrs. Ever war has suicide missions, and make no mistake, this is war.
SHERLOCK: I have to finish this.
Sherlock’s lines in the trailer are about self-sacrifice for a greater purpose, possibly even to the point of being stubborn and inflexible about it. I think that’s a strong possibility for what “this” is referring to:
JOHN: What made you like this - what made you so stubbornly martyred?
And Sherlock says:
His eyes narrow like he sees something when he says “I made me,” like he sees something in the distance - whatever they’re on the stakeout for (presumably Emilia). So that seems pretty like that the plot intervenes at that point, and Sherlock doesn’t answer more fully than “I made me” at this point. But as several people have pointed out, that’s a pretty vague and lame answer.
But if this scene is really the next morning, he does give a real answer:
JOHN: What made you like this?
SHERLOCK: We all have a past, Watson. Ghosts. The shadows that define our every sunny day.
That actually does answer John’s question pretty well. And it also makes sense if “this” is referring to “stupidly martyred” - presumably whatever happened in Sherlock’s past is the reason he thinks himself worthless, that his only value is his utility, so it makes sense that he’d martyr himself.
But let’s get back to “It’s the longest night of my life.” That sounds like John’s dreading what’s coming in the morning - it sounds like something you’d say the night before your morning execution or something. Which is what he looks like in this scene:
I can’t think of a time I’ve seen John this obviously freaked out - he’s pretty stoic. It’s particularly interesting because it’s paired with Sherlock being - or trying to be - chipper and excited. “The game is afoot!” sounds like they’re about to go on a fun crime-y chase - but that’s not what John looks like. I can’t really imagine that John is this afraid of whatever is going on in the case - a ghost. The worse things get, the grimmer and more closed-mouth John gets. Maybe
in the lab at Baskerville - but that’s very, very immediate danger, of
which clearly isn’t. It’s daytime; no ghosts get you in the daytime.
I’m thinking that Sherlock isn’t really this excited either, because just a minute ago, he wasn’t:
He looks down. You can see John’s already stressed - but when Sherlock starts to open up emotionally, John’s totally focused on that.
I said I couldn’t think of a time John was this obviously freaked out - but that’s not quite true:
When the police come to arrest Sherlock in TRF, John’s body language reminds me of his nerves in TAB. He’s pacing, looking around, both hands clenching and unclenching. And that’s an interesting scene in TRF, because John just won’t stop talking. It starts with the gingerbread man:
JOHN (referring to the burnt gingerbread man): What does it mean? (x)
John’s not stupid; he knows it’s a threat. He wants Sherlock to let him in; he wants Sherlock to reassure him.
John keeps saying things that are sort of unnecessary as the police arrest Sherlock:
VOICE: Police!
…
JOHN (offscreen): Have you got a warrant? Have you?
LESTRADE (offscreen): Leave it, John.
…
LESTRADE: Sherlock Holmes, I’m arresting you on suspicion of abduction and kidnapping.
JOHN: He’s not resisting.
SHERLOCK: It’s all right, John.
JOHN: He’s not resisting. No, it’s not all right. This is ridiculous.
LESTRADE: Get him downstairs now.
JOHN (to Greg): You know you don’t have to do- (x)
He won’t leave it, even after Sherlock asks him to. IMO, John is so anxious in this scene in TRF because a) he’s utterly helpless - shooting people won’t help this situation - and b) it’s all about Sherlock, not him. When John gets into a situation where he’s helpless but he’s the one in danger - when CAM’s flicking his face - he’s still just stoic. But here, he wants to and feels responsible for protecting Sherlock and can’t. So I’m wondering if there’s a similar situation in TAB.
But there’s a definite difference in these scenes in that Sherlock is resigned and stoic when the police arrest him in TRF, but in TAB he seems excited - though you could say he seems a bit resigned and stoic right before that when he says “We all have a past, Watson. Ghosts. The shadows that define our every sunny day.”
SHERLOCK: Come Watson, come! The game is afoot!
This is a very Sherlock Holmes thing to say, so I’m also wondering if it’s part of his public image persona that we’ve gotten so many hints to - particularly as he’s putting on the hat. This line reminds me a little of the tarmac, as a time when things were bad and Sherlock was talking about the game:
SHERLOCK: The game is never over, John.
Alternatively, if Sherlock really is excited, then I’m wondering if John has screwed up in some way and Sherlock doesn’t know. Or he’s made some kind of a deal Sherlock to protect Sherlock behind Sherlock’s back - which might explain why he’s going to the Diogenes Club by himself.
Any thoughts? Why does Sherlock look excited when John looks nervous?